Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of ActivTrades vs IFC Markets, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
When comparing online brokers ActivTrades and IFC Markets, it's important to consider their foundation and trust levels. ActivTrades, established in 2001, holds two Tier-1 licenses, highlighting its recognition in the financial world. In contrast, IFC Markets, founded in 2006, currently does not possess any Tier-1 licenses but does hold a Tier-2 license, showing a moderate level of trust. Neither company is listed on the stock exchange or operates as a bank, which may be considerations for investors looking for additional layers of regulatory assurances.
Evaluating their Trust Scores, as rated by ForexBrokers.com, ActivTrades secures an 81 out of 99, placing it in the "trusted" category. This score suggests that users can have confidence in its services. On the other hand, IFC Markets scores a 73, indicating an average risk. This comparison provides a clearer picture for potential investors seeking assurance and stability in their online trading experiences.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
When comparing the trading costs between ActivTrades and IFC Markets, it's essential to consider commissions and fees, as they significantly impact the overall trading experience. ActivTrades offers slightly better spreads than the industry average; however, they don't quite match up to the top low-cost forex brokers. This UK-based broker provides various account types, including an Individual Account, Professional Account, and an Islamic Account for traders with specific needs, yet it doesn't cater specifically to high-volume traders with active trader pricing. ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees, ranking at #28 out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.
ActivTrades displays its target spread for each asset, though these can fluctuate during trading sessions, particularly during the rollover period when spreads typically widen. For example, the average spread data directly from ActivTrades showed 0.98 pips for the EUR/USD pair in May 2024. While spreads remain consistent across account types, traders should note that the overall commissions and fees are influenced primarily by the selection of assets and the platform used.
Unfortunately, there isn't specific average spread data available for IFC Markets, making direct comparisons more complex. Like ActivTrades, IFC Markets holds a 4-star rating for commissions and fees but is ranked slightly lower at #39 out of 62 brokers in this category. Both brokers provide reputable trading environments, but the decision may ultimately come down to individual trader needs regarding asset selection and platform features.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | 0 | $1 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing the range of investments available at ActivTrades and IFC Markets, both platforms offer forex trading through CFDs and spot contracts, providing traders with flexibility. However, ActivTrades stands out with a broader catalog of tradeable symbols, offering 1,267 options compared to IFC Markets' 630. Both brokerages provide an identical selection of 49 tradeable forex pairs, ensuring that forex traders experience a consistently wide array of choices. Neither broker allows U.S. exchange-traded securities like Apple shares, but both provide access to international securities such as Vodafone shares.
ActivTrades and IFC Markets both enable copy trading, supporting investors who prefer to replicate the strategies of experienced traders. When it comes to cryptocurrency options, neither permits the purchase of actual crypto assets; instead, they offer cryptocurrency derivatives. Despite similarities, ActivTrades receives a slightly higher rating of 4 stars for its range of investments, ranking 31st out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets earns 3.5 stars and ranks 43rd. This suggests that ActivTrades may present a marginally more comprehensive investment environment for traders seeking variety.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 49 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Both ActivTrades and IFC Markets provide traders with a comprehensive range of trading platforms and tools. Each broker offers simulated trading through free virtual demo accounts, allowing new users to practice risk-free. They also boast proprietary platforms developed in-house, catering to traders who prioritize customized solutions. Compatibility with widely used platforms like MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) is available through both brokers, providing added flexibility. ActivTrades and IFC Markets ensure ease of access with Windows-based desktop applications and web-based platforms, while also supporting copy trading. Notably, neither broker offers DupliTrade or ZuluTrade integration, but they do enable users to execute trades directly from charts.
When it comes to trading tools and features, ActivTrades edges ahead slightly with support for 11 watch list columns compared to IFC Markets' 7. Both brokers offer 15 drawing tools for charting, ensuring traders can conduct detailed analyses. Despite similar offerings, ActivTrades is ranked #30 and IFC Markets #36 in the Trading Platforms and Tools category on ForexBrokers.com, both scoring 4 out of 5 stars. This suggests both brokers provide quality trading platforms and tools, with slight distinctions that might appeal to different trader preferences.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both ActivTrades and IFC Markets offer downloadable mobile trading apps for both iPhone and Android devices, making them accessible for a wide range of users. Their apps are well-equipped with essential features for traders, including stock or forex price alerts and the ability to draw trendlines directly on charts. Users can view multiple time frames, such as daily, weekly, or intraday, and any drawings made on the charts are automatically saved. Both platforms also allow users to create watchlists with real-time quotes, although only IFC Markets provides syncing for these watchlists between mobile and online accounts, which can be a significant advantage for traders looking for seamless integration.
With 30 technical studies available for charting in both mobile apps, users of ActivTrades and IFC Markets can conduct detailed analysis on the go. In terms of user experience and reviews, both mobile trading apps receive a commendable rating of four stars. However, when it comes to the ranking by ForexBrokers.com, ActivTrades stands out, holding the 19th position out of 62 brokers, as compared to IFC Markets, which is ranked 52nd. This indicates a potentially more favorable reception and performance of the ActivTrades mobile app among a broad spectrum of users.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing ActivTrades and IFC Markets in the realm of market research, both brokers offer daily market commentary, providing traders with timely insights into market fluctuations. However, ActivTrades surpasses IFC Markets by delivering forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters, which may appeal to those seeking more comprehensive news coverage. Meanwhile, both companies fall short by not offering research tools from Autochartist or Trading Central, but they do provide sentiment-based trading tools to assist traders in making informed decisions.
Additionally, ActivTrades and IFC Markets both feature an economic calendar to keep traders updated on global events. Despite similarities in certain areas, ActivTrades earns a slightly higher research rating of 4 stars compared to IFC Markets' 3.5 stars, reflecting its more robust offerings. In rankings by ForexBrokers.com, ActivTrades holds the 30th position out of 62 brokers for research, while IFC Markets is positioned at 40th, highlighting a slight edge for ActivTrades in the research category.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for those starting out in trading, both ActivTrades and IFC Markets offer a substantial number of materials focusing on forex and CFDs. Each broker provides at least 10 educational pieces, including articles, videos, and archived webinars. However, ActivTrades stands out by offering monthly online educational webinars, a feature that IFC Markets does not provide. Additionally, ActivTrades maintains a searchable archive of these past webinars, a useful tool absent from IFC Markets' offerings.
For video content tailored to beginners, both brokers supply more than 10 videos that cover essential trading concepts. They also support traders wishing to delve deeper, with over 10 advanced educational videos each. While ActivTrades does not include an investor dictionary with definitions of at least 50 investing terms, IFC Markets compensates with this resource. In terms of ratings, ActivTrades earns a slightly higher score of 4 stars compared to IFC Markets' 3.5 stars. Interestingly, despite ActivTrades’ higher user rating, it is ranked slightly lower at #38 in the Education category by ForexBrokers.com, while IFC Markets holds the #30 spot.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that ActivTrades is better than IFC Markets. ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #33, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #45.
ActivTrades is a long-standing brand that offers a proprietary trading platform, ActivTrader, and support for the award-winning TradingView and MetaTrader (MT4 and MT5) platforms. ActivTrades also delivers a selection of custom add-ons, indicators, and trading tools for traders who prefer to use MetaTrader. Drawbacks for trading with ActivTrades include a smaller selection of tradeable symbols and fewer educational resources than what’s available from the best forex brokers.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 73 |
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Both ActivTrades and IFC Markets provide their users with the opportunity to trade cryptocurrency derivatives, although neither broker supports the purchase of actual, delivered cryptocurrencies.
When comparing online brokers, ActivTrades and IFC Markets both provide Visa, Mastercard, and bank wire options for account transactions, but neither offers ACH, SEPA, or PayPal transfers, while only ActivTrades supports Skrill.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
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2 of 5| Overall Rating | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trading Platforms Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Mobile Trading Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Research Gallery (click to expand) | |||
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| Regulation | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 81 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2006 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 630 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | 1.44 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | 0 | $1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | ActivTrades | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review |
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